The future site of the proposed 18,000-seat arena, along Woodward and just north of Comerica Park and the Fox Theatre in Detroit. / Jarrad Henderson/Detroit Free Press

Who needs yet another stadium which will only turn the old stadium into a deserted, forlorn, neglected ghost town like Tiger Stadium was? I realize the Joe is on the riverfront, but that certainly never helped re-purpose Hart Plaza or the Ford Auditorium. Detroit needs residents first.

Marsha Viers

Warren

A new stadium would be a great addition to Detroit, but it should be privately owned and privately funded, just like any other franchise business. Just because they are called the Detroit Red Wings does not mean that should be a publicly funded business. They are a privately owned franchise.

John Morgan

There is no “perfect time” for investment in the infrastructure that will make our city great again. Yes, we have a multitude of challenges, but that doesn’t mean we should stop planning for our own future. Now is the time to do this. We can’t afford to keep waiting for our city to turn around.

Molly Shor

Not one dime of taxpayer money should go to pay for a billionaire’s hobby, in a facility where millionaires play games. And for other people (mostly well-off) to waste their money watching these millionaires play games. If those rich people want a stadium, let them build it. Or pay for it with ticket surcharges. Not taxpayers! Especially taxpayers of a bankrupt city and suburban taxpayers in a county that may soon follow the bankrupt city!

Don Sepanski

It will be owned by the city and the Wings will lease it, therefore making it one of the few things that the city will do profitably.

Dan Misch

It’s about time the state started investing in the municipality most vital to its success.

Marcus Alexander

When does the rest of the city benefit? Any time anything is ever said for development, it is always downtown. What about the war zone areas? What about the expansive inner city prairie lands? What about the abandoned homes and vacant businesses? The Red Wings have a perfectly fine stadium. There is no need to build a new one except to appease Mike Ilitch’s ego. Sorry, let the Ilitches, Gilberts and others start spending their own billions on stadiums. Leave the taxpayers out of it. The city is more than downtown. Let the billionaires put their money where their mouths are, and start helping the rest of the city of Detroit.

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Jeff Spirdione

The Red Wings have had some 80 or more consecutive sellouts at “The Joe.” Why do they need a new stadium? But if they can make a viable case for it, fine, as long as it doesn’t cost the taxpayers of Detroit, Wayne County or Michigan a single cent. Ilitch & Co. can afford to build it himself, and it is he who will benefit the most from a new stadium. If the Red Wings move to a new stadium, the costs of another “dead horse” stadium go on — maintenance, utilities, taxes and other expenses to maintain it and/or the costs of razing it at some point in the future will be left for the public to pay with their taxes. Not right, not fair. We’ve had enough of this paying for the wealthy monuments. Just look at the Silverdome.

Greg Arceri

Northville

The Downtown Developmental Authority will own the entertainment venue, not Olympia Entertainment. Financial obligations come with the territory when an entity builds and retains ownership of an arena, regardless whether it’s a nonprofit deriving its authority from the state. Mike Ilitch is contributing $11.5 million each year on a project he doesn’t own, 56% of the cost, on an arena he has to make lease payments to. Of course, the DDA will pay $14.8 million annually to fund the project, $12 million of which is captured from property taxes. Government entities derive their revenue on taxes and fees assessed on the public.

This project won’t demand any new tax revenue from the city, county or state, yet generate abundant revenue for nearby businesses, and new tax revenue for the city and county. Pulling entertainment dollars out of the pockets of non-Detroit residents year around is the goal. The Palace of Auburn Hills is a great music venue 12 months a year. Why wouldn’t Detroit want to compete with that? Cobo needs the wasted space Joe Louis is occupying. This is a win for everyone.